Keenan Bailey is getting a promotion.
Ohio State is promoting its tight ends coach Keenan Bailey to co-offensive coordinator, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Sources: Ohio State is set to promote Keenan Bailey to co-offensive coordinator. Hell remain tight ends coach and work with recently promoted offensive coordinator Brian Hartline and new run-game coordinator Tyler Bowen. Bailey has worked at OSU in various roles since 2016. pic.twitter.com/7k9e0sra35
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) February 10, 2025
Bailey, who will continue to coach Ohio State’s tight ends, is entering his third year as the Buckeyes’ tight ends coach and ninth overall season on the Buckeyes’ staff. Since joining Ohio State as an offensive intern in 2016, Bailey has spent time working with all five position groups on offense, making him well-qualified to assist Brian Hartline in coordinating the Buckeyes’ offense in 2025.
Despite never being a full-time coach before his promotion to tight ends coach in 2023, Bailey has been viewed as a key component to Ohio State’s offensive and recruiting operations behind the scenes for years.
“Probably the most unsung hero on our staff, the hardest worker in the building,” Ryan Day said of Bailey during Ohio State’s national championship celebration at Ohio Stadium last month.
Bailey becomes the third returning assistant coach on offense to receive a promotion for the 2025 season, joining Hartline with his promotion to offensive coordinator and new quarterbacks coach Billy Fessler, who was previously an offensive analyst for the Buckeyes. New offensive line coach and run game coordinator Tyler Bowen will be the only new full-time assistant on the offensive side of the ball while running backs coach Carlos Locklyn returns for his second season with the Buckeyes.
Ohio State remains in the market for another defensive coach as it has not yet named a new defensive coordinator to replace Jim Knowles. Day said Friday that he hoped to finalize his coaching staff for the 2025 season this week.
